Google has officially announced Gemini 2.0 to the public, and with it comes word that the tech giant is testing a new feature to help with gaming.
Google Gemini has become a huge part of the average Android user's life, and a new blog post has revealed that it could soon impact gaming as well.
Google has built AI agents using Gemini 2.0 that "can help you navigate the virtual world of video games." The agents are able to reason about a game based on what is on screen, as well as connect to Google Search to offer information.
The blog contains a video that shows off the agents at work helping three people playing Clash of Clans, Hay Day, and Squad Busters. We get to see the AI offering the ideal army composition based on the available units displayed on the screen.
The demonstration also shows the connection to Google Search, all of which is done by verbal commands. Finally, the video also shows that you can ask for reminders about quests and more beyond what is happening in the moment.
Similar features are possible with the recently announced ChatGPT Advanced Voice with Vision, which can see your phone screen and talk you through what is happening. It doesn't yet have search access, but that is coming soon.
The idea is interesting, but on the other hand, the video makes it seem a bit limited at the moment. For instance, do we really need an AI to remind us about daily quests, especially in a game like Clash of Clans?
I can see the advantage of being able to check the meta with a simple request, even though Squad Busters isn't a massive meta-focused game. I think the big issue with the video is that the games on display aren't that complex at the best of times, so the agents really aren't needed.
Gemini 2.0 is a pretty major enhancement, with CEO Sundar Pichai saying Gemini 2 has advanced reasoning capabilities that will soon come to AI Overviews in Google Search. Gemini 2.0 has been dubbed the starting point for the "agent era" by Google and the model is apparently comparable to OpenAI's o1 model.
For reference, o1 has been stated to be one of the smartest programs ever produced, to the degree it's even been found to be capable of plotting.
The AI agents are an interesting concept, but until we see it working with more involved games then it might appear as more of a gimmick than anything. However, if it is capable of offering sound advice and ideas then it could help to improve play on some of the best Android phones.
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